Derrick's Journey: Overcoming Darkness to Illuminate His Future

For Ssegawa Derrick, growing up in Masaka was a battle against more than just poverty and malnutrition—it was a battle against darkness, both literally and figuratively. Like many students in his community, Derrick had no access to electricity at home. When the sun went down, so did his chances of studying. But Derrick was determined not to let the setting sun limit his future.

From a young age, Derrick saw the effects of malnutrition all around him—disease, stunted growth, and weakened bodies. His personal experience with hunger sparked a deep desire to help his community overcome these challenges. “I want to live in a world where malnutrition doesn’t exist,” Derrick says, “and I want to love as Jesus did.”

Derrick’s journey with Hope Alive! began in 2009, where he found a safe place to grow spiritually and academically. Abandoned by his parents and raised by his grandmother, Derrick faced many hardships. His grandmother moved back to the village to farm, leaving Derrick alone in town to pursue his education. With no electricity in his home, Derrick’s schoolwork was often interrupted by the fall of night.

Derrick refused to let darkness win. Each evening, he would cook, clean, and go to bed exhausted. Then, at 3 a.m., he would wake up and study under the faint glow of his neighbor’s security light—a light he relied on to push through his studies. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t safe, but Derrick knew it was the only way to achieve his dream of becoming a dietitian and fighting malnutrition in his community.

Today, Derrick is studying human nutrition and dietetics at Bukalasa Agricultural College, a step closer to his goal of helping others prevent and treat malnutrition. His determination to study, even in the face of literal darkness, has shaped him into a beacon of hope for his community.